Family Disaster Recovery Plan
You never know where you will be when disaster strikes. Your family may or may not all be together in the same place. It is critical that you have a clear and well-defined family disaster recovery plan to ensure that each member knows what to do in the unfortunate event of a disaster.
The purpose of a family disaster recovery plan is to determine actions for contacting each other during the disaster and reuniting afterward. It also clarifies what each person will do in various types of situations.
Creating Your Disaster Plan
• Discuss disasters that are likely to occur in your area.
• Choose an out-of-town contact person who will be able to communicate with your family members.
• Copy the contact person’s name, address, and phone number onto small cards for each family member.
o Program the number into everyone’s cell phone as well.
• Make sure that each family member is able to send and receive text messages.
o Text messages are usually more reliable than phone calls when cell networks are down or jammed.
• Determine the criteria for when your family will stay and when they will go to a different location.
o Designate a meeting spot.
Returning Home
• Returning home after a disaster is a challenging and gradual process.
• Safety is your first priority as you try to return to a normal daily routine.
• Be on the look out for any safety risks, such as chemical spills, electrical wiring defects, or debris.
o Inform the appropriate authorities.
• Assess the health and well being of each family member.
• Care for any illnesses or injuries.
• Get plenty of rest, and do not try to do everything at once.
• Accept offers of help from others, including friends and family or professional organizations, such as the Red Cross or Salvation Army.
Coping with Disaster Recovery
• Disaster recovery is a stressful time in many aspects, including physically, financially, and emotionally.
• Take time to heal; do not rush back into regular activities until you and your family are ready.
• Acknowledge each person’s own unique struggles and feelings of grief.
• Encourage your family members to talk about their feelings.
• Give each other space to deal with any accompanying fear or pain.
• Organize a memorial service to mourn for people, pets, or items that were lost in the disaster.
• Carve out extra time to spend with children, reassuring them of their safety.
• Take time to reestablish daily routines and involve each family member in specific duties to help out with recovery.
• Limit media exposure immediately following the disaster.
o Replaying the events can stir up more fear and anxiety, especially in children.